Device for preventing telephone-cords and the like from twisting.



J. A. BREEN.

DEVICE FQR PREVENHNG TELEPHONE CORDS MD THE LIKE FROM XWiSTiNlLAFPLICATIGH HLED MN; '25. $9M.

Man

A TTORNEY JOHN A. BREEN, OF NEVT HARTFORD, NEW YORK.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING TELEPHONE-CORDS AND THE LIKE FROM TWISTING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

Application. filed January 25, 1917. Serial No. 144,563.

To all who 1n it may concern:

Be it known that I, Join A. BREEN, of New Hartford, in the county ofOneida and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Devices for Preventing TelephoneCords and the like fromTwisting; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the reference-numerals markedthereon, which form part of this specification.

My present invention relates to a device for preventing telephone cordsand the like from twisting.

It is well known that the telephone cord connecting the pedestal of adesk telephone to the bell box secured upon the wall or upon some otherfixed article, often becomes twisted or formed into kinks. This twistingor kinking is partly due to the fact that the telephone cord has anatural tendency to twist due to its being constructed of small flexiblewires and due to the twisted an r. ngement of the insulation or coveringover the electric wires. A further cause for the twisting of the cord isthat in handling the telephone the cord is often in effect twistedeither by the telephone instrument being turned over or by the cordbeing passed around below or beneath the desk telephone as the telephoneinstrument is being used and particularly when it is handed from oneperson to another. After one or two twists have been given the cord itseems to accumulate further twists instead of having any tendency tostraighten out. The first kinks or twists tend to produce additionalones by causing the telephone cord to lie in folds or curves and so givemore facility for the cord to be passed over or under the telephoneinstrument.

The twisting or kinking of the telephone cord shortens the cord, wearsout the cord faster than necessary and generally makes trouble throughthe knots or kinks catching upon surroundig articles or on knockingpapers or other articles from the desk or table.

A similar trouble arises in some cases where a cord or flexible cable isused to connect a fixed article to another article that is being movedand handled considerably.

The purpose of my present invention is to provide novel, efficient andimproved means for preventing telephone cords or the like from becomingtwisted or formed into kinks or knots.

A further purpose is to provide an article of the class described whichcan be readily attached to the ordinary telephone cord or the like byany one without the use of special tools.

A still further purpose is to provide an article of the class describedwhich can be readily attached to or detached from a telephone cord orthe like without disarranging or cutting the cord and without having toremove the telephone instrument from the cord.

Yet another purpose of my invention is to provide an article of theclass described that can be readily attached to telephone cords or thelike of considerable difference in size so that one standard article canbe used even though several sizes of telephone cords are used in thevicinity.

Further objects and advantages of my device will appear from thespecification and claims herein.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a desk telephone instrument to thecord of which has been applied one of my devices.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the device shown in Fig. l but upon anenlarged and practically actual size.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the device shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. i asectional view thereof.

Figs. 5 and 6 are side and front views respectively of the fasteningmember used in the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 to at.

Fig. 7 is a sectional. view on an enlarged scale of a modified form ofmy. device and Fig. 8 a side elevation of one of the parts shown in Fig.7 v

Fig. 9 is a side view of another form of my invention upon an enlargedscale.

10 is a sectional view of the form shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a side view of one of the parts shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

Referring to the drawings in a more particular description, there isshown an ordinary form of a desk telephone with the usual telephone cord15 connecting the bell box 16 to the pedestal of the desk telephoneitself 17. The bell box 16 it is assumed is afliXed to the wall or someother fixed object in the usual way and the telephone instrument itselfis shown as resting upon any convenient object 18 such as the draw shelfof a desk or a table. My device for preventing twisting of the telephonecord is attached to the telephone cord 15 preferably about midway of itslength although it may be located nearer to or farther from the bell boxaccording to the location of the telephone. In general my device is mosteffective when placed at about the bottom of the loop formed when thetelephone cord hangs down of its natural weight in its usual position.

In general my invention comprises a weight of any convenient size, shapeand material and a connecting member adapted to securely fasten saidweight to the telephone cord 15 in spaced relation to said cord and innon-rotative relation to said cord. Preferably also the connectingmember is of such form as to make the device readily attachable to anddetachable from the telephone cord. Furthermore the means for attachingthe device to the telephone cord are of such character that thetelephone cord does not have to be cut nor disconnected from the desktelephone nor the bell box. In other words the article can be attachedto the telephone cord without having either end of the telephone cordfree from its connection to the bell boX or telephone.

The device of the character described and connected as stated to theproper part of the telephone cord operates to prevent the telephone cordor the like from rotating of its own accord or unless positively twistedby reason of the fact that the weight being to one side of the cord andin non-rotative relation thereto hangs down and has sutlicient power orweight to prevent the telephone cord from twisting of its own accordwhen slack or when being handled. The weight being located about midwayof the cord tends to prevent its getting into loops and kinks but theefliciency of my device resides in the fact not that it is simply aWeight but that the weight is fixed to the cord upon a different centerthan that of the cord or that the weight is fixed oft center relative tothe cord. It will therefore be seen that the cord of its own tendency totwist cannot twist or rotate without raising the weight from itsposition below the cord and up and over the cord. The power in atelephone cord to twist of itself is very slight and a relatively smallweight spaced a short distance from the telephone cord is ample toefiiect the purpose desired and entirely counterbalance the tendency ofthe cord to rotate upon itself or become formed into kinks.

Referring now to the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6 it willbe seen that the weight here consists of a spherical body 19 and aconnecting member 20. The

weight 19 is provided with a screw-threaded opening into which thescrew-threaded end 23 of the connecting member 20 fits and can beadjusted at different distances relative to the weight. The projectingend of the connecting member 20 is formed as a hook opening at one sideso as to have a recess 21 and a shank portion 22 passing from thescrew-threaded end 23 to the head or projecting end 24: of member 20 anda short returning hook portion extending part wa from the head 24:toward the screw-three ed end 23. This arrangement leaves the opening 26between the returning hook portion and the screw-threaded end 23 of lesslength than the recess 21.

This form of my invention is attached to the telephone cord 15 byinserting the telephone cord through the opening 26 into the recess 21of connecting member 20, it being assumed that the connecting member 20is either entirely separate from the weight 19 or that the connectingmember and weight 19 are unscrewed from each other sufiiciently to allowthe telephone cord to be inserted through the opening 26. Then theweight 19 is screwed up upon the connecting member 20 until thetelephone cord is firmly grasped between the hook of the connectingmember 20 and the weight 19. Preferably the parts are so proportionedthat when this tightening is effected the returning hook portion 25reaches to or substantially to the weight 19 and so entirely incloscsthe telephone cord. The weight and connecting member are screwed up tothe point where the device is secured to the cord in nonrotativerelation but not to such an extent as to cut or injure the cord. Thisnon-rotati've attachment is further facilitated by reason of the factthat the telephone cord is not usually circular in cross section, buthas in its outer casing two separate insulated wires and often a thirdthread or fiber cord as an additional strengthening member. By reason ofthis two or three part formation of the telephone cord no great amountof pressure is necessary to aflix the weight nonrotatively upon thetelephone cord.

In the form of my device as shown upon enlarged scale in Figs. 7 and 8,the weight and connecting member are not separate parts. The device isconstructed of two parts 27 and 30 held together by the headed screw 28.The parts 27 and 30 each form one-half of the weight and half of theprojecting part to be connected to the cord. These parts as illustratedhave their weightportion in the form of a semi-spherical part 27 and 30from which project oppositely disposed half-eyes 27 and 30 respectivelyof such form that when the parts are brought together as shown in Fig. 7the eye parts 27 and 30 surround or almost surround the telephone cordin the eye 29 while the headed screw 28 passes through the member 27 andis in screwthreaded engagement with the member 30. It will be understoodthat the eye 29 formed by the two half-eye pieces 27 and 30 is slightlyless in cross area than the telephone cord to which the device is to beattached so that as the parts are brought together the half-eye pieceswill firmly grip the telephone cord be fore they touch each other.Preferably there will be provided on one of the parts of this form of myinvention as upon part 27 a pin or dowel 31 projecting into anoppositely disposed recess 32 in the body of the other part 30. Thedowel and recess thus provided aid in keeping the parts 27 and 30 inalinement when being attached and when attached without having to dependentirely upon the screw 28 or the telephone cord in the eye 29.

A still further modification of my inven tion is shown in Figs. 9, 10and 11. Here as in the. last described form the device is formed in twohalves 33 and 3% each forming a half of the weight and a half of theconnecting means and the parts are connected by a headed screw 28extending through part 33 and screw-threaded into the part 34. A dowelpin 31 and cooperating recess 32 are also preferably used in this form.The portion of the parts 33 and 34: which form the means for connectingthe weight to the cord are so arranged, however, as to hold the cordparallel with the screw 28 instead of at right angles thereto as in theform shown in Figs. 7 and 8. In the present modification the projection38 from part 33 is in the form of a C-shaped hook having a side opening36 through which the telephone cord may be passed to the main recess 37.Fig. 11 is a side view of the flat side of part 3%. The other part 33has a similarly C- shaped hook 38 but the opening is oppositely disposedto the opening 36 on part 33. It v. ill then be obvious that the twoparts may be placed against the telephone cord from opposite sides andthen the parts 33 and 3% secured to each other by the headed screw 28with the telephone cord non-rotatively ailixed to the device andextending in the direction indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 10.

it will be obvious that various other forms and modifications of mydevice may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention asset forth in the claims herein.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for preventing telephone cords and the like from twistingcomprising a weight and a member adapted to hold said. weight in spacedand fixed relation to the cord, said member being adapted to be attachedto said cord Without having either end of said cord free from the partsof the telephone.

2. A device for preventing telephone cords and the like from twistingcomprising a weight and a member adapted to hold said weight in spacedand fixed relation to the cord, said member being adapted to be attachedto and detached from said cord without having either end of said cordfree from the parts of the telephone.

3. A devi for preventing telephone receiver cords and the like fromtwisting comprising a weight secured to the cord in fixed andnon-rotative relation, the center of gravity of said weight being to oneside of said cord whereby the weight normally depends from the cord andthe cord cannottwist without lifting the weight.

-:l. A device for preventing telephone re ceiver cords and the like fromtwisting comprising a weight attachably and detachably secured to thecord in fixed and non-rotative relation, the center of gravity ofsaidweight being to one side of said cord whereby the weight normallydepends from the cord and the cord cannot twist without lifting theweight.

A device for preventing telephone receiver cords and the like fromtwisting comprising a weight secured to the cord in fixed andnon-rotative relation, the center of gravity of said weight being to oneside of said cord whereby the weight normally depends from the cord andthe cord cannot twist without lifting the weight, said device beingadapted to be attached to and detached from said cord without havingeither end of said cord free from the parts of the telephone.

6. A device for preventing telephone receiver cords and the like fromtwisting, C0111- prising a weight attached only to the cord and meansholding the weight in fixed, spaced and non-rotative relation to thecord whereby the weight depends from the cord and the cord cannot twistwithout lifting the weight.

7. A device for preventing telephone receiver cords and the like fromtwisting, comprising a weight and means non-rotatively fastened to agiven point on the cord and rigidly holding the weight to one side ofthe cord, said weight being supported only by thecord and preventing thecord twisting exceptby lifting the weight.

8. A device for preventing telephone re ceiver cords and the like fromtwisting, c0mprising a weight and means fastening the weight to the cordin fixed, spaced and nonrotative relation thereto whereby the weightnormally hangs below the cord and the cord cannot twist without liftingsaid weight.

9. A device for preventing telephone receiver cords and the like fromtwisting, comprising a weight and means attachably and detachablyfastening the weight to the cord in fixed, spaced and non-rotativerelation thereto whereby the weight normally hangs cannot twistwithoutlit'tingsaid weight, said 10 below the cord and the cortl cannottwist device being attachable to and detachable without lifting saidweight. from said cortl without having either end of 10. A device forpreventin telephone resaid cortl free from the parts of the teleceiivercords and the like from twisting, eoniphone.

prising a weight and means fastening the In witness whereof Il'litVQflfllXCd my sig- 15 weight to the cord in fixed, spaced andnonnature, this 18th day of January 1917.

rotative relation thereto whereby the weight normally hangs below thecord and the cord JOHN A. BREEN.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

